This super destination has long been a favourite for travellers and Katmandu is still synonomous with the sixties hippie trail. But things have not been good for Nepal in recent years. A civil war has been ranging for a number of years although with little news coverage in Australia. Perhaps that is because the rebels espouse a rather old fashioned Maoism in an age where only Muslim fundamentalism is deemed noteworthy.

A recent peace accord should hopefully revive Nepal's tourist industry. Although foreigners were not targeted by either side in the conflict; the mountain countryside was the principal battleground making some treks nerve-racking.

The entry point for international flights is Kathmandu International Airport.

There are no direct flights to Kathmandu from Australia. Thai Airways(via Bangkok), Qatar Airways (via Doha), Singapore Airlines (via Singapore) offer the most popular indirect routes. Or you can enter Nepal overland from India easily enough.

The currency is the Nepalese Rupee (Approximately 57 NPR to 1 Australian Dollar)

Nepal is home to many of the highest mountains in the world including Everest. Yet, as stunning as the Himalayan peaks are, one should never forget the medieval architectural glories of such towns as Katmandu and Bhaktapur. Kathmandu itself is the ideal base to explore this Mountain Kingdom; it has numerous markets in the Thamel district and Durbar Sqaure as well as fantasctic temples dotted around the city. Bhaktapur is a charming place with a more laid back feel than the bustle of Kathmandu.

Nepal is one of the, if not the premier, mountaineering and trekking destination in the world. The most popular regions being the Annapurna and the Everest regions. The Annapurna region has a number of 12,000 metre peaks and most people chose Pokhara, a beautiful lakeside town with a strangley warm climate as a base to explore the surrounding area . The Everest region comprises Everest itself as well as Nupste, Lothse, Amadablam and many others, with the Everest Base Camp trek being the most popular.

The other main regions to explore are Langtang, Helambu, Kanchengjunga, Dolpo, Dhaulagiri, Mustang, Manaslu, Rolwaling and Makalu.

In the south of the country is the Royal Chitwan National Park. This is the last remaining home in Nepal for the Asian one-horned Rhino, Royal Bengal Tiger, Leopard, varieties of Deer, Sloth Bear, Rhesus Monkey, Wild boar, Jackals, Civets, Mongooses, Cats and Snakes. The rivers and lakes are home to Crocodiles and the extraordinary Gangetic Dolphins. Chitwan is also a bird-watcher's delight with more than four hundred migrant and local species birds recorded.

Australian passport holders require a visa for Nepal, a 60 day visa costs around $100. You should contact the embassy in Sydney:

Level 5, 203-233 New South Head Road,
EDGECLIFF NSW 2027 (Sydney)
Postal: PO Box 474, EDGECLIFF NSW 2027
Phone: (612) 9328 7062
Fax: (612) 9328 0323
Email: info@nepalconsulate.org.au

Visa forms for Nepal can be downloaded from here

Aussies needing help in Nepal should contact our embassy:

Australian Embassy,

Suraj Niwas, Bansbari,

Kathmandu, Nepal

Telephone +977 1 437 1678 Fax +977 1 437 1533

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